Thursday, 5 December 2013

I've been here just over a week now and it's been real fun. We flew into Brisbane last Tuesday and stayed in a beautiful apartment for two nights with a splendid balcony and a stunning view overlooking the river and some amazing sky liners in Brizzy! We used this stay to get over jet lag, which was pretty rank. We'd get up at 6am and be completely drained by 3pm so for our stay there that's pretty much what we did, sleep. We did get out and about in the mornings though, to sort bank accounts and attempting to get SIM cards for our phones, whatever you do guys, if you're travelling abroad and want to use your phone and probably use a local network providers SIM card, make sure the damn thing is unlocked! And if not, don't worry and be conned into thinking that it can't be done or the charge they'd want to slap on unlocking it for you, most of the time if you ring your current provider they'll do it for you. Lesson learnt. Unless of your on EE then you'll probably have to wait a month because they're crap! In that time you've probably come home!

We ate out in the mornings and in in the evenings as we were so tired. On the Thursday we travelled north to Noosa where we ended up staying for four nights with my boyfriends family friends who were very lovely and accommodating and really helped us out up there, not just looking after us, but advising us on where to visit which was a great help. The weather was beautiful the first couple of days and we spent the day at the national park walking and on the look out for dolphins and turtles! And of course koala ! We then spent an hour or so on the beach and had a drink in the surf club. Oh and we got a parking ticket that day which was most excellent! We didn't realise that in Australia you have to park in the direction on the traffic, so that was our parking fine reason! Not too happy!

The following day rained, all day. We booked an excursion that day, I sorted out my phone and we ate up the surf club then later went for dinner with our hosts for a Thai.

The following day came and at 6am we were meant to be getting picked up by this travel firm for a day at Fraser Island, basically a massive miscommunication problem between them Fraser Tours and Peter Pan Travels and no one came and picked us up. Not only that I rang them about 20 minutes after they were meant to be picking us up, giving them the benefit of the doubt in picking other people up etc and the woman was so rude to me, in the end I was glad we didn't go. I wouldn't want a company like that taking a penny of my money anyway, so instead we drove to Australia Zoo and had the day out there. And we met the Irwin family so that was fun too!

The next day we left Noosa to travel back down the coast to the Gold Coast, Broadbeach. The apartment was nice, but there wasn't a massive amount to do there and it's been really difficult to go and chill on the beach because it's been so windy. So we ate out and had a walk around and spent the night in the apartment. The next day we drove to Byron Bay which I quite liked! Was pretty chilled, a lot of people around, very surfer types and hippies and some cool places to stop for street food. We stopped for a Mexican, I had nachos with chilli, guacamole, cheese and salsa and Tom had pork tacos. Pretty good. We then drove onto Coffs Harbour where we stayed the night in a questionable apartment! It was ok, but not as nice as the previous places and it had a really odd vibe about it, but did us the night then the next morning we had breakfast at the surf club over looking the sea and went for a walk up the rocks of the sea edge. Again very windy! So we stopped for ice cream and coffee and made a move to our next stop over Port Macquarie. By the way en route to these places, it's seemed we have created a pattern of stop offs at Coles Express for frozen Cola! Amazing! So refreshing and tasty, we love them!

We arrived at Port Macquarie and we took our light cases to the room and then went out on a walk to see what was going on. We took towels, just I'm case the winds calmed down, unfortunately they didn't. We walked to the beach and sat on the grass for a while then we took a wonder through the town and checked out the shops and eating places and picked up some beers for the apartment. I'd picked up some brochures so when we got in we looked at stuff to do here. It's seems a real busy little place and the surrounding areas! So we booked another night as we have no travel bookings from here and last night we went for fish and chips and then today we went for a pancake breakfast, we went strawberry picking! And I got to take my strawberries home, or eat them in the car! And apparently, because of how they were grown on stands, and how they are watered and fed, I didn't need to wash them, because washing them bruises the strawberry! But the lady told me to take them out the plastic bag as soon as I can to stop them sweating, so I ate most of them!

We then went to an antique shop which was amazing! It was like stepping into a hoarders home! Stuff everywhere, but I quite liked it. I bought a sign for our new home when we get one! And a book.

We then went go karting which was scary but so much fun! I've got a massive blister from holding the wheel so tight! Tom cained it though and the lads on the side line kept calling him Lewis Hamilton! Which he obviously loved. I did my fasted lap in 19 something seconds, he did his in 14 something. I beat all the young lads so I didn't care!! Very competitive!

Now we're back at the room, I'm on the balcony trying to sun it a little as today was meant to be thunder and lightening all day but the suns been out most of the afternoon, so we could have done the rainforest trip we wanted to do or the fishing boat hire, never mind.

Sunday, 6 October 2013

Birmingham NIA here we come! We've been looking forward to this for months and after seeing Kanye and Jay Z last year, we are pretty excited!! I need to pick the tickets up from Royal Mail tomorrow, yikes!

I've started doodling when I'm less occupied and find it quite relaxing. I think I might draw something really interesting today, like some sort of scenery or something, seeing as it's a really nice day!

Just got in from a run, had my first game of the netball season and felt dia after it, so figured I need to umph up my fitness in preparation! Also have some really good news but will share that later on!

Right now I feel like having a sort out, looking at my eBay shop, doing some washing (thrills) and maybe some drawing!

I am so going to do some moodboards and trend forecasts soon and have lots to tell about Autumn Fair about what's hot and what's NAT.

For now I'll upload some mini sketches from my week! Hope you've had a good week now!

Saturday, 28 September 2013

So I made some cute gingerbread men for Macmillan coffee morning on Friday! Went all out and wore green also! They went down really well at work and even my tuba ware disappeared, yikes! I think we raised £190! Pretty good going for an array of cakes and treats!

Saturday, 31 August 2013

Yesterday was a lovely day my mum, sisters and myself went to London for the day. We visited the Tate and I wanted to see the Dan Flavin collection in the artists rooms. His work is so amazing, I love how modern his work was for its time. We then had a little potter around and how amazing is the Tate?! Incredible. We went for lunch on the South Bank and visited Borough Market which was rather tasty! We met up with my uncle and cousin who took us on a mini tour of the South Bank, was a fab day for it! Walked over Tower Bridge, visited the Tower of London, St Paul's and walked back over Millennium Bridge. We then had a race back to Euston as we had about half an hour to get on two different lines, which stopped off at 7 stops prior to ours, walking in between and a run to the train on the platform! And 2 minutes to spare!! Good work team!

Thursday, 29 August 2013

Last year I worked on stationery for Wilkinsons and worked on I think three ranges, Sustain, Urban and Wilde. Low and behold, I spotted them in store! How lovely is the window display also! Come on kiddies and fellow office workers, stock up on your goodies!

Tuesday, 27 August 2013

Today mum and myself visited Bourton-on-the-Water which was lovely. We pottered around the shops, had cream teas, ate ice creams and got lost in a maze! How that maze was suitable for children is beyond me!

There were some really sweet shops there, like a glass shop which had little glass garden mushrooms out the front and some lovely looking and smelling eateries!

So this week I've booked the week off. Which is great because I haven't taken any holidays this year so far, other than the odd day off for my graduation, birthday and hen do. So I'm going to spend this week with my mum and sisters, something I want to do before I go to Australia.

So tomorrow we've got planned a day out to Kelmscott Manor in Gloucestershire to see one of the homes of William Morris, which I am really looking forward to. I did want to go to Red House in Kent, because I think it looks beautiful, but Kent is more of a stop over trip and I'm trying to watch the pennies! I'm really looking forward to it, we are going to combine the visit with a stop off in the Cotwolds at Bourton-on-the-Water, for a cream tea and a peruse, so should be nice and pretty, so be kind to me please english weather!!

I'm hopefully going to go to London for the day also to visit the Tate Modern as I've never been before and visit an exhibition by Dan Flavin who I studied when undergoing my Interior Design degree, so I'm looking forward to that and hopefully combining that with a little potter around London.

Really looking forward to zoning out this week and relaxing for once in a long while.

Sunday, 25 August 2013

Just a little something from a wedding reception I went to the other week. It was a friend from netball, who looked stunning, it was such a lovely day for the two of them to share with their friends and families. They had a photo booth at the evening do, which was fabulous! After a few drinks all the netball girls were addicted to some black and white, wind blowing, propped action!!!

I bumped into some friends there and we had some pics taken and so did I with this little monkey who loved it and kept going in on his own all night!!

So after a rather busy nearly 9 months, I'm back in the game! I've completed my degree in Interior Design and qualified with a Distinction, which I am over the moon about! I have been at my job now for 9 months and I'm moving going to Australia end of this year on a working holiday visa looking to hopefully settle there. So all is good and busy!

Last week I put a load of my vintage clothes on Ebay, so if you want to take a look be my guest! http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/sophvs/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p3686 So much more to come on as well, but I'll start doing that once I've shifted some of this. I'm having an "Australia" clear out! It needs to be done!

I have actually had sewing machine lessons this year as well, which I kept meaning to do last year, so I have done a few basic classes and am now quite excited about getting creative with it!

Work is okay, I get to work on a lot of different accounts which I enjoy dabbling in. I've designed products now for the V & A Museum, The National Trust, House of Fraser, Sainsbury's, Tesco, John Lewis, Waitrose, Marks and Spencer, Dobbies, Dunelm Mill, TK Maxx, TJ Maxx, Harris Scarfe and many more! Which is exciting working on so many different markets and with different clients. It's not quite the mood board dream job that was originally portrayed to me, as you might already know I love mood boards and trend research and travelling and the position has not really met my expectations, especially with regards to travelling, it's non existence. So I must admit, I have been disappointed. I will upload my latest boards for AW14 in the next couple of weeks.

This year so far, I've taken up boxing, which was super fun, but am back at netball training now for the new season, I've tried Zumba (never again! No rhythm), I've been to a Buddist class, to try and find some spiritual enlightenment, I have had sewing machine lessons, I've gone back to indoor netball, which by the way is ridiculously aggressive!! I went to Go Ape on my birthday which was fab! I graduated in June at Trentham Gardens in Staffordshire, I went to Brighton after graduating. I've been on my first hen do! And I've got a wedding and a wedding reception to go to both in September, so have just sorted out the finishing touches to one of my wedding outfits. There is me in a nutshell this year.

Righty, on with the trend boards and photos I think! I am happy to say that finally I have a new phone in the shape of an iPhone so will be able to uploaded wayyyy better quality images! Thank godness. And advise for anyone about to get a new phone, do not get a Blackberry and put yourself through the torture of having a phone which constantly freezes, internet constantly struggles to open and load any web page, not being able to re-read messages anything older than like a month, poor quality photos and just general rubbish-ness!!

Get yourself on my Ebay and check out the shop, see if anything tickles you ready for Autumn and Winter! Or grab yourself a last minute Summer bargain!! Look at my lovely friend in my fab green jacket! http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/sophvs/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p3686

Hope you are all well and are getting prepared for the colder months if you're in the UK. Don't you just love cold days and wrapping up warm?! You can't get away with it in the Summer when you're a bit chilly, you just look like a freak-a-troid. I love any excuse to wear jumpers, cardies, tights and boots!!

Monday, 7 January 2013

So much in such little time! I have been very neglectful to my blog over the last month and a bit, SORRY! I've been so busy. With starting my new job, early morning get ups, drive to work and drive back home in the evenings, I'm getting back for 6.30pm, 7pm-ish, so in my evenings I have been finishing off my uni module and planning Paris!

I don't feel like I've stopped since November and to be honest, I don't feel like I've had the chance to enjoy the festive season. I've felt very rushed and rather stressed.

The new job is going well, I had a little glitch today, but other than that it's busy, hectic, manic, CRAZY busy.

Paris was beautiful. I will upload photos and talk more about it when I get a spare minute.

I got my SECRET SANTA PREZZIES!! How delightful they are! I drink from my beautiful teacup every day and it makes my tea taste so much sweeter! I had some lovely chocs! Chocolate coins, little notebook and a beautiful necklace. I've been a lucky girl!

All christmas I knew I had my uni results back, but bear to look at the results. I had a feeling this time that I were going to do quite badly. This module was about designing my own logo and stationery brand for my "Interior Design" company. That bit was a doddle but then it went onto business plans and predictions etc and that threw me! Anything mathematical I thrive off, but business studies etc, doesn't only bore me, nor interest me at all but I felt I kept repeated myself throughout the module and had convinced myself I'd failed miserably. Then on the day I returned from Norwich after christmas I decided to have a peek and... I GOT AN A!!! I were so shocked my eyes filled up! So I'm pleased to start my final module now and am looking forward to graduating this year.

Lots of pics to come, will upload soon :)

Hoping and wishing everyone has enjoyed their christmases and a bit of time off hopefully, even if for just a couple of days, much love.